Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Pets> What are Birds

Text by: Tanya Munshi

We see them everywhere we go, but have we thought of what are birds actually? Not really, so here goes. When you think of a bird, the first thing that comes to your mind is – it has feathers, a beak, two legs and they usually fly and live on trees or bushes. Scientifically speaking, birds belong to the Aves class, and have the following characteristics:

They are bipedal – a form of motion, where birds walk with the help of their hind limbs, as they use their forelimbs i.e. wings to fly.

Birds are warm blooded – like most mammals, birds are warm blooded, where they can control their body temperature by keeping it on a constant level and the ability to change their temperature depending on how hot or cold the climate is.

Birds are known as tetrapod vertebrates – The word Tetrapods is derived from the Greek word tetrapoda and the Latin word quadruped – meaning four-legged. Vertebrate animals are those who have four feet/ legs/ leg-like appendages.

Birds reproduce by laying eggs and can vary in size from as small as the Humming Bird which is as small as 5 cms to the largest bird – Ostrich which is about 2.7 metres.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Food & Travel> Waffles, Frites and Belgium

Image: Melt-in-the-mouth waffles
Image by: Belgian Chocolate



Text by: Tanya Munshi


History has played a significant role in influencing the food habits in Belgium. German, French and Latin cultures have a dominant presence in their food habits. Over the years, the natives came across a wide range of people from all across Europe. Through several experiments they evolved their own food habits and style. With just five percent of agricultural population, Belgium produces over 165 different kinds’ food products, including cheeses. Follow the Eurail map and land up in Belgium to feast on the delicious cuisines!

While visiting Belgium try out the Frites (French fries) and Flemish beef stew. Sea food, especially mussels is a favorite, along with beer, waffles and chocolates. Don’t miss the carbonnades flamandes which is the traditional Belgium beef stew with beer.

Characterized by the medieval cooking style, Belgium cuisine incorporates a lot of dry fruits, almonds, herbs, spices, mustard and vinegar. The endive herb dishes such as gratin or in soup, are a must try.

More popularly known as the white gold, endive was first introduced in Paris in 1872. Today this herb is cultivated in Belgium, in a variety of patches, be it in the fields or in kitchen gardens.
During your trip to Belgium, try the Waterzooi which is a fish or a chicken stew, flavored with butter, cream and egg yolk and lots of veggies that makes this a wholesome meal.

Roasted chestnuts, waffles and frites are popular road side food! During a window shopping spree, pick up paper cones full of frites garnished with mayonnaise or a flavored sauce. Did we miss the waffles? The waffles taste divine, especially when they melt in your mouth. Take a lazy stroll while the aroma of roasted chestnuts adds to the ambience of gorgeous Belgium.

Note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Indian Spice & Herb Dictionary - B

Text by: Tanya Munshi
B
Bay Leaf – Hindi – Tej Patta. Bay leaf is extensively used for seasoning dishes like pulao, chicken, fish, mutton curries and kheer. When the oil is hot, just add one leaf before starting to cook. Bay leaf can be easily stored after it’s dried up. Bay leaf is known to have medicinal properties such as anti-fungal, anti-microbial and fights low blood sugar levels and ulcers.

Basil – Hindi – Tulsi. Known in India more as a religious plant, Basil has several therapeutic properties as well. Basil leaves are very effective for cold, cough, cuts and burns and are also used in curries.

Bishop’s Weed – Hindi – Ajwain. This is a pungent spice that can be eaten just like that. Whenever acidity or indigestion attacks your tummy, chew ¼ teaspoon of ajwain and allow the juices to flow down your throat. This will cure your tummy in no time. Bishop’s Weed can be added to bread, pizzas, chicken curries etc. for flavouring.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Home & Kitchen> Indian Spice & Herb Dictionary - A

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Just like any other cuisine in the world, Indian cuisine has distinctive spices, condiments and herbs. Most of us know the local names of the spices and are lost when we hear the English names for it.

So here we are, with a spice dictionary, in order to avoid mishaps of buying the wrong ingredient when the cookbook actually asked for another. It is also important to know why certain spices and condiments are used in Indian cooking. And would you believe it that every spice used in Indian cuisine has certain medicinal properties as well.

A
Asafoetida — Hindi - Hing. It’s a light powder with quite an offensive odour, but is used for tempering dal, curries and pickles. Asafoetida is known for its digestive properties which is rich in sulphur and acts as a detoxing agent. The best part about Asafoetida is that you only need a pinch of it to season your curries.

Aniseed – Hindi – Saunf. Most often in India, aniseed is used as an after meal mouth freshener. Aniseed is known to have cooling properties. Soak a teaspoon of aniseed over night in a glass of drinking water. Next morning, on an empty stomach, drink the water by straining the seeds. Aniseed can also be used to flavour dishes like curries and pickles. Aniseed is known to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and expectorant properties.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Travel & Culture> A Souvenir Guide for Europe

Image: Beer stein shopping in Germany
Image by: Sherrifmitchell



Text by: Tanya Munshi
If you plan on buying souvenirs from Europe, you need to either have enough space in your bag, or maybe take an empty foldable bag along, which you can use to bring back goodies. Wherever you touch base, you would most certainly like to pick up something to remember the place by. Now a souvenir need not be anything fancy or expensive, as long as it represents the place you have visited. As far as possible, stick to the most basic items like hand crafted, home made type of products. It should have the essence of the place of its origin. Of course, refrigerator magnets top the charts of souvenirs, but there’s no harm in looking beyond.

Here is a list of goodies that you can pick up, whatever catches your fancy and fits your pocket!

Note: If you wish to buy any jewelry ask for the authentication certificate. Check for terms and conditions for bringing spices/ food products back to your home country. Usually a government run souvenir store will help you in selecting items, in conformity with the travel regulations. Museum gift shops are also one of the best and the safest places to pick up souvenirs to bring back home.

Austria: Buy wine, traditional costume belts, beautifully embroidered scarves and linen. Porcelain, enamel jewelry and wool.

Czech Republic: Porcelains, crystals, reproductions of Art Nouvea Alfons Mucha and contemporary art work, hand crafted, detailed marionettes and puppets. Don’t miss the Dr. Stuart’s Botanicus chain of bath and beauty products.

England: You can pick up ceramics, the Royal Family memorabilia, splurge a little and pick up some Body Shop products if you like.

France: A visit to the Baccarat Museum should give you an idea how to choose and buy crystals. Keeping Lalique, Saint-Louis crystals as options, why not have a look at the scarves, ties, lingerie, wine, Krug champagne and perfumes.

Germany: There’s a wide variety to choose from wooden gift articles like cuckoo birds, soldiers, German Smokers, Nutcrackers, Christmas Pyramids, Black Forest Cuckoo Clocks. Don’t forget the beer steins.

Greece: Silver jewelry, leather bags, small pans and pots from kitchenware stores and flokati rugs. If you think pens and pencils can be souvenirs, then buy Bics from their local stationary stores. Try and get yourself some really nice lip balms if possible.

Ireland: Pick up Waterford crystals, Irish Figurines such as Leprechauns, Pixies, Gnomes and Fairies, silver jewelry, watches and rings. You can also add lace, linen, Belleek Pottery, Hummels, Donegal tweeds and woolens. If it fancies you, pick up a few CDs of traditional Irish music.

Italy: From miniature monuments like Bridge of Sighs, Bridge of Rialto, religious figurines are also popular choices like angels with flute. You can also pick up coffee pots, lampshades, art and ceramic ware. Leather from Florence and glasses and lace from Venice are also great for souvenir shopping.

Netherlands: Apart from the famous wooden shoes, you can also pick up reprints of Van Gogh’s work. Delftware ceramics, crystals from Leerdam and Maastricht, antiques to cheese and chocolates.

Scotland: Amongst the whisky, silver jewelry, woolens and tweeds, the Scottish thistle is just one of those things that catch your eye.

Spain: You can pick up sherry hailing from Jerez, south of Spain, ceramics, tiles, porcelain figures, art work and designer clothes.

Switzerland: A wide variety of Swiss cheese and chocolates to choose from, you can also pick up watches, clocks, bells, wood work, jackets and the Swiss Alps cap.

Note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Culture & Food> What's Cooking in Austria

Image: The chocolate glazed Sacher Torte
Image by: Subpop77



Text by: Tanya Munshi
Austrian cuisine is varied and as you move along it's different corners, depending on its proximity to its neighbors, the cuisines will vary. With a Eurail pass, see a part of the world, that you only read in text books. Better still, get a flavour of a country as rich as Austria.

A mixture of cultures, through permutations and combinations from France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, to Slovakia and Serbia - its an endless list that goes on and on. Austrian cuisine is influenced by the agriculture and cuisines of Bundeslander. Since Burgenland lies close to Hungary, the cuisine includes chicken, geese and farm produced fruits. The popular ones are bakes like Buergenlandisches Erdbeerkoch, which is a strawberry baked desert or the Buergenlandische Gaenseleber that is goose liver with onions.

Ham is a popular and a staple diet, topped with lots of herbs, spices and veggies. The Austrian cured ham, chicken stuffed with roasted herb or baked bread with saffron gravy are some of the dishes worth trying out.

Owing to the European history, Austrian cuisine is a mix of both ethnic and international flavors. It includes breaded veal cutlet known as the Wiener Schnitzel, paprika beef stew called the Fiaker Goulash and the chocolate glazed cake the Sacher Torte.

And what do you know; a typical Austrian meal consists of a two to a seven course meal. Starting from an appetizer, soup, main course, with a raw/ cooked side dish, that ends with a dessert which would either be a baked dish or warm/ cold after meal sweet.

Note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Pets> Nutrition for your Pet Bird

Text by: Tanya Munshi

You have to maintain a healthy diet for your bird as an imbalanced diet can cause diseases or even premature deaths. Hence it is very important to start with a healthy diet right from your pet bird's infancy.

Food tips:

  • Regularly change your bird’s diet. Apart from seeds, include sprouted seeds, veggies and fruits in his diet.
  • You can get food pellets for birds from a pet store. Food pellets are rich in proteins.
  • The size of your bird and the amount of food fed should be proportional. Larger the bird, more food he will consume than a smaller bird.
  • Never offer your bird fried, salted or sweet food items. Fruits and veggies are ideal for them.
  • Give your bird a slice of guava and let him play with it and eat it as and when he wants during the day.
  • Don’t let any fruit/ food item stay in the cage for more than a day.
  • Fruits and veggies are healthier for birds. It will help in clearing their systems and you will notice an increase in bird droppings, but it is a natural phenomenon.
  • Check with your vet and plan a diet chart for your bird, so that you are well prepared.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Culture & Food> What's Britain's Food Type

Image: Delicious fish and chips
Image by: Yahny in London



Text by: Tanya Munshi
Mainly constituting of four countries in the northwestern Europe - England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the cuisine style is an amalgamation of these four regions. Simple, yet wholesome, the food available here has a touch of Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines as well.

Be it Yorkshire pudding, soup or pie, there’s a wide range to choose from. Kidney pie, Plum Pudding, Beefsteak, are popular. Fish and sea food are also staple diets with salmon and prawns topping the charts, while in meats, its lamb, mutton and wild fowl.

Fish and chips is a popular dish that is made of batter fried fish, served with fried potato chips. Usually, fish and chips is not prepared at home, but bought at a fish and chip shop, known as the ‘chippie’, and it is more of a takeaway menu.

The Yorkshire Pudding, as the name suggests is not a dessert, but a main dish. The Toad-in-a-Hole dish shares popularity with the Yorkshire Pudding and is made of sausages that are covered with batter before cooking.

Don’t miss the Shepard’s Pie, a wholesome dish made of mince meat, vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. Cakes, buns and cheese such as Cheshire Cheese, Chelsea Buns and Eccles Cakes are the baked goodies that you should try.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Travel & Culture> A Vsit to Belgium

Image: Picture perfect from Bruges
Image by: Spo0nman



Text by: Tanya Munshi

The Kingdom of Belgium has something for every traveler. The beer and chocolate is just the tip of the ice berg, look closely and you’ll find a variety. While planning your Eurail trip, see if you can drop by at Belgium.

1. Antwerp: One of the largest sea ports of the world and the second largest in the European Union, Antwerp is one of the busiest ports for cargo shipping and oil refineries. Here, monuments bear testimony of the Golden Era of Antwerp dating back to the 16th century. Many of the monuments survived the harshness of the World War II, and today a tourist will be awed at some of the heritage that has been preserved. Apart from being the diamonds centre of the world, Antwerp is also famous for Belgian tapestry, a six century old art form is still popular today.

2. Brussels: It’s the capital of the Kingdom of Belgium, and the head quarters for the French and Flemish Communities. French and Dutch being the official languages of the city, you will notice all the street names and traffic signs written in these two languages. The Grand’Place is quite popular amongst the plenty of museums and sight seeing spots. Summer nights are times when the Grand’Place hosts the sound and light show. In fact, several events and shows are frequently held at the Grand’Place throughout the year. The best way to enjoy Brussels is to take long walks, dig into hot waffles or perhaps enjoy delicious seafood. With pubs and cafés aplenty, shop for souvenirs or designer clothes, whatever catches your fancy, Brussels is a good stop over.
3. Bruges: Its well preserved medieval architecture makes Bruges a popular tourist destination in Europe. More often known as the Venice of the North, Bruges has been listed in the World Heritage Site for the years 2000 and 2002. Hop on for guided canal boat trips, a visit to the brewery De Halve Maan (since 1856) and the Bruges Diamond house and complete it with a sightseeing tour.

4. Ghent: The fourth largest city in Belgium Ghent is also a popular hub for Flemish culture amongst the student population. Ghent is renowned for its export of the most beautiful begonias and azaleas all over the world. This flower city of Belgium draws in tourists and locals to the Gentse Floralien or the Ghent Flower Show, held once in every five years.

Editor’s note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Pets> Dietary Requirements of Birds

Image: A parrot enjoying his snack
Image by: Jef Poskanzer

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Do different breeds of birds have different dietary requirements? The answer is yes. That is why a prior knowledge of the species of birds is very important before getting home a pet. You wouldn’t want to get an exotic bird home and find that his dietary requirements are more expensive or not easily available than you thought.

Let’s take the example of the parrot family – the psittacines. There are six classifications of birds all depending on their dietary habits.

Florivores are those birds whose main dietary source is plants. For example, the Red-faced parrot, military macaw and the blue and gold macaw. Macaws are brightly coloured long-tailed parrots from Central America and South America. They are known to be one of the largest and the most colourful of parrots. Their diet includes seeds, fruits, nuts and berries

Granivores are those birds whose main dietary source is seeds and grains. They fall under the category of florivores. For example Hyacinth macaw, small Australian parakeet (Budgerigar) and small grey Australian parrot (cockatiel). Their diet entails seeds and grains.

Nectarivores are those birds, such as the Small Australasian Parrots (Lorikeet), whose main dietary source is nectar. They too fall under the category of florivores. Their diet includes nectar, pollen and seeds.

Frugivores are those birds whose main dietary source is fruits. They fall under the category of florivores. Birds like the blue-throated macaw and the green-winged macaw’s diet includes flowers, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Omnivores are those birds whose main dietary source is both plants and animals. Birds like red-tailed Amazon and sulpher-crested cockatoo thrive mainly on insects, seeds, and fruits.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Travel & Culture> Markets of Europe

Image: Temple Bar at night
Image by: Infomatique



Text by: Tanya Munshi
Traveling to Europe involves sight seeing, experimenting with different kinds of cuisines, shopping and much more. The best way to feel the pulse of a country, city or town is to go to a local market place (not a supermarket or a mall) and watch the lives of the locals go by. You can window shop, munch on a fruit, taste an exotic local dish, buy some souvenirs, take lots of photographs and add them to your memories.
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1. Belfast, Northern Ireland, St. George Market at Oxford Street:
Voted as one of the best UK markets in 2004, this market has around 248 stalls. From meat, seafood, fresh veggies and beautiful flowers, there are stalls dedicated to antique items, clothes and jewellery as well. The first Saturday of every month has a live cookery performance by one of the best chefs in town at noon.

2. Birmingham, West Midlands, England Wellsbourne Market (Avon):
It’s a huge market, mostly open on Saturdays and bank holidays. It has almost everything from books, cards, camping gear, clothes, shoes and electronics. Bargaining here is highly recommended. Situated on an airfield, Wellsbourne Market can get very windy and uncomfortable when it starts raining.
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Antique Fairs: If you’re interested in antique items, then this is a place to visit.
a
Rag Market: Want to pick up toiletries, camping gear, herbs and spices, branded make up, CDs, designer clothes or maybe even second hand clothes, then drop by at the Rag Market. Open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, look around before you buy.

3. Cardiff, Wales, Queen Street:
Cardiff has been rated as one of the top five shopping cities in the UK. At Queen Street you can pick up branded watches, designer clothes, cameras etc.

4. Dublin, Ireland, Temple Bar:
To the south of the River Liffey, Temple Bar is situated in central Dublin in Ireland. With narrow cobbled streets, Temple Bar is a popular hangout for tourists for its zippy nightlife.

5. Amsterdam, Netherlands, Flowermarket Amsterdam:
A place for souvenirs and beautiful flowers, Flowermarket is situated in the city centre of Amsterdam. It is recommended that you buy flower bulbs with certification only, if you wish to bring back home. Summer is the time when the Flowermarket is full of vibrant colors. This is a popular place where everyone comes to buy their Christmas tree. The market is open on all days, Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm and Sundays 11:00 am to 5:30 pm.

6. Barcelona, Spain, La Boqueria:
A food lover’s paradise, La Boqueria is one stop destination to buy veggies, fruits, meat and fish. This market is frequently visited by the best chefs in town. If you want to do something different, then take a walk down La Boqueria and have a good time tasting food and filling your tummy.
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Las Ramblas: A part of the wide pedestrian avenues, Las Rambla de les Flors is one of the 5 Ramblas. If you’re visiting Barcelona, it would be a crime to not make a trip to Las Ramblas. You can pick up something you like, or simply stick to window shopping and watch the ‘living statues’, flower shops and pet shops.

7. Berlin, Germany, Tiergarten Fleamarket:
One of he most colorful and the biggest markets of Berlin, the Tiergarten Fleamarket is mainly open on weekends and bank holidays. This market is divided into two sections. The first part has shops sporting antique items, clothes, furniture etc. while the second part is full of artisans of all kinds. It is advisable to go early to get the best bargains on antiques. But if you’re only interested in looking around, then pay a visit during the peak hours of 1:00 pm and enjoy the energy of the market place.

8. Paris, France, Marche aux puces de Saint-Quenn:
A fun place to shop and get good deals on branded and second hand clothes, old radios, antiques and what not. There are two more main flea markets in Paris – Porte de St-Quenn and Porte de Clignancourt. The puces de Saint Quenn is a home to second hand mattresses, old junk and the like. The shops are open on Saturdays and Sundays, on Mondays most of the shops are closed. Sundays are the busiest days of the week and it is also very crowded.

9. Vienna, Austria, Meinl am Graben:
Famous for coffee and the quality of food, Meinl am Graben is also home to an amazing stock of wine. By midnight, the Wine Cellar is transformed into an up market wine bar. Here different kinds of wines are offered for tasting every fortnight. From the wide range of wines, you can pick the ones that fit your budget. You can also whet your appetite at the sushi bar, health cafes, or a coffee shop that sells Viennese coffee, made from Meinl coffee beans. This is slightly an up market area, but worth a visit to get the real essence of Vienna.
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Published in Eurailing.com, on June 18, 2007
Link:
http://www.eurailing.com/category/Travel-Guides/Markets-of-Europe/

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Home> Style Tips for the Kitchen

Image1: Revamped kitchen

Image2: Kitchen cupboards
Image by: Hownowdesign



Text by: Tanya Munshi
Home is where the hearth is as this is the place where the entire family is well fed and looked after. Usually, the lady of the house prepares meals, keeping everyone’s health and food preferences in mind. So why not have a real stylish kitchen, well colour co-ordinated with comfort in mind?
  • Kitchen wall colours look best in pastel, white or light shades of pista, blue or peach. Keep the wall colours light as this will make the kitchen brighter.
  • Install readymade cabinets for your kitchen as this would save a lot of time and effort. Go for wooden kitchen cabinets with glass doors, this will give a sense of space in the kitchen.Use black granite as the counter-top.
  • Avoid marble counter-tops for the kitchen. Marbles stain easily and require high maintenance. Polished granite, especially black or brown counter tops will add style to the kitchen.
  • Now add something for the wall that’s right below the kitchen cabinets. Place colourful ceramic tiles – bright yellow and orange, a sea green, or maybe you could do a theme like an aquatic theme.
  • If you’re kitchen is large enough, add a small kitchen table with a couple of stools. Use wrought iron table and stools with the table top with colourful ceramic tiles.
  • In a large kitchen you can place a beautiful painting of food on one empty wall, but away from the gas of course.For a small kitchen, avoid bulky furniture.
  • Better would be to keep the refrigerator outside the kitchen to prevent it from crowding.
  • Keep small potted plants on the window sill; this doesn’t matter if it’s a large or a small kitchen.
  • Keep the flooring black granite if possible; avoid white floors as it will make the kitchen look dirtier.Match all the crockery, plates and serving bowls of the same colour.
  • It could be white, pastel shades, or light shades of pista green etc. when everything is colour coded in a kitchen it will make the simplest kitchen look very stylish.
  • Hang a wrought iron magazine/ paper holder on a wall. Keep all your cookery books, a pen and notepad with quick recipes etc.
  • If space permits and you have a cosy kitchen table, place a vase with pretty flowers to add to the glamour.

Published in Cooking Goddess.

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